Ivy Conway had been terrified for her daughter’s safety and she hugged Sharon tightly when she finally walked through the front door. Del was relieved and he shook hands with Reggie, thanking him for bringing her home safely. Reggie left to go about his business and Del followed him out. He wanted to be a part of all this, no matter what Ivy might think about it.

Inside, Ivy was having difficulty believing what her daughter had been through. ‘Is it true they shot at the rank, Sharon?’

Sharon nodded.

‘Dear God in heaven. What has the world come to when a woman can’t even run a legitimate business in peace?’

Sharon sighed heavily. She knew that this would be the general conversation from now on; her mother exclaiming over the events, and her wanting to forget them, for a short while at least. The fear at the noise of the shots and the sheer confusion that had surrounded the act was finally hitting her and she felt sick with apprehension. She wished she had just given Jamie the fucking lot and been done with it. But she had listened to Jack Johnson and, knowing he had her back, she had not been too worried about the outcome.

Now, though, it was a different kettle of fish altogether. She was frightened, seriously frightened. It was just sinking in that someone had shot at her, had actually picked up a gun and fired at her and her workforce. The enormity of it was hitting her. The sheer outrageousness of the act made her realise just what she was dealing with. Suppose Jack Johnson, Reggie and Ray couldn’t sort this out? Where did that leave her and her boys? Her husband had been murdered – and they’d never found the killer – would she be next? Her hands were shaking violently.

Ivy went to the bathroom and, taking two sleeping pills out of a bottle, she hurried through to the lounge and forced Sharon to take them. Then she ran her a bath and helped her daughter into it. Finally she poured out two glasses of wine and sat on the floor of the bathroom, listening helplessly as her daughter cried her heart out.

Chapter One Hundred and Two

Davie Bannerman was still like a man possessed. He had tracked Jamie down to a local boozer on Brixton High Street. He had no qualms about letting Jack and his crew know his brother-in-law’s location because he intended to be there to make sure that everything was done properly.